Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/13
By: Tony Liao and Elaine Hou

Taipei, Nov. 13 (CNA) The U.S. Congress recently passed a National Defense Authorization Act for 2016 that makes provision for Taiwan’s inclusion in U.S.-led training programs with foreign countries, with the aim of increasing maritime security in the South China Sea, and supports bilateral military exchanges between Taiwan and the United States.

The bill will now be sent to the White House and will take effect after U.S. President Barack Obama signs it into law.

The U.S. Senate passed the bill Nov. 10, five days after it cleared the floor of the House of Representatives.

The bill includes a South China Sea Initiative that authorizes the U.S. Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, to provide assistance and training programs aimed at “increasing maritime security and maritime domain awareness of foreign countries along the South China Sea.”     [FULL  STORY]